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The Round TableHave a seat at the Round Table for in-depth discussions, extended or serious conversations, and current events. From world news to talks on life, growing up, relationships, and issues in society, this is the place to be.
Come be a knight.

Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) has revealed his own plan for combating America's violence problem -- and it differs from President Barack Obama's on a key point. Specifically, the former presidential candidate said that instead of enacting tougher gun control legislation, Americans should simply pray for protections.

Obama unveiled new gun legislation Wednesday, recommending a host of Congressional measures supplemented by 23 executive actions to be carried out immediately.

The announcement, which may be the most sweeping effort to tighten laws in a generation, marked the culmination of a month-long review process led by Vice President Joe Biden.

In his own statement, Perry acknowledged the problem of violence in the U.S. but said enacting tougher gun laws was not the right way to solve it, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Perry said that there was "evil prowling" in the world that has appeared in television and movies, and then found its way into vulnerable minds.
As a free people, let us choose what kind of people we will be. Laws, the only redoubt of secularism, will not suffice. Let us all return to our places of worship and pray for help. Above all, let us pray for our children.

Perry also assailed the liberal media and politicians for attempting to use the Sandy Hook shooting for a political end "that would not have saved those children," according to the Chronicle.

This is not the first time the outspoken governor has launched rhetorical assaults on "secularism." In September, Perry unloaded a blistering attack against those who believe strongly in a separation of church and state.

"Satan runs across the world with his doubt and with his untruths and what have you, and one of the untruths out there that is driven -- is that people of faith should not be involved in the public arena," Perry said on a conference call with Rick Scarborough.

Perry's appreciation for prayer is also well-documented. He endorsed and helped organize a "Christian-only" prayer event in August at Houston's Reliant Stadium that drew the ire of the Freedom from Religion Foundation organization.

This idea that prayer is the ultimate protection, even against guns, has been circulated among the conservative Christian community in the aftermath of the Newtown shooting.

Bryan Fischer, an executive with the American Family Association, said God did not protect the victims of one of the deadliest school shootings in American history because children and teachers were not allowed to pray for protection in the classroom.

Oh Ricky, you so funny.

Although I suppose this can be used in the argument of gun control. Think about it, most pro-gun people are placing their faith in a object, no, a idol in hopes of it protecting them rather then God. Really though, this could be the entire reason for gun violence - us trusting man made objects, idols, more then we trust God.

This is rare, but I agree with him. God is the solution. If we got rid of guns and replaced them with bibles, the US would be a much much safer place. (Be it because of the lack of guns or the increase in faith.)

It's a nice sentiment, but a bit too hopeful. We can't rely on a higher power to solve our obsession with violence, all we are sure to have is ourselves. You'd think we'd learn from the heartbreak we see on the news that is caused by violence. Does anyone think what's shown in the news encourages violence? I've been saying "violence" a lot. Anyway, stricter gun laws will hopefully be a step toward the right direction.

Ugh, Mike Huckabee was saying similar things the day of the event. I also like how Rick Perry threw in a few in a few jabs at TV and movies. Why should we restrict the first amendment for the sake of second amendment fundamentalism?

Quote originally posted by outfox:

We can't rely on a higher power to solve our obsession with violence, all we are sure to have is ourselves.

This is rare, but I agree with him. God is the solution. If we got rid of guns and replaced them with bibles, the US would be a much much safer place. (Be it because of the lack of guns or the increase in faith.)

How about we replace guns with schoolbooks? Teach people how to respect one another, feel empathy for other people, and all that good stuff we should have remembered from kindergarten if it weren't for bizarrely influential presence of hateful people spouting intolerance?

Prayer is valid comforter in times of tragedy. I don't see it as a solution to gun violence. It's not like atheists are running around gunning people down. I don't get what faith would have to do with it. Increased education maybe.

"The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all." - H. L. Mencken, unsourced

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"- Isaac Asimov, Column in Newsweek (21 January 1980) [source]

Prayer will indeed help us, but the way he says it isn't the proper way. In fact, it's the opposite of what we need to do.

Imagine you have a girl that follows you everywhere. She won't talk to you when you ask her to talk to you, and constantly bullies you, but whenever she needs something, she bothers you and bothers you. Would you give her help? I don't think you would.

It's more about praying, then taking action. In fact, praying is optional if you don't want to. Just take action, and hope for the best.

I miss the days of the Republican primary, when an entire stage full of people with similar ideals would spout off great lines like this. Rick Perry was my personal favorite. It's a shame he dropped out so early.

The idea that prayer can actually do things is laughable, but prayer itself is a great coping tool. Faith in general is a good thing to have because it gives you a reason to not give up even when things are tough. The problem emerges when people allow their faith to overstep common sense. Prayer may help you deal with the loss of a loved one, but it will not stop a bullet.

I'll be sure to kneel down, snivel, and pray to whatever phantom I want next time some nut who wants my wallet or household possessions threatens me with a knife or gun. I'm sure that'll scare the pants off of him far worse than me having a knife or gun of my own.

__________________

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While I do think religion and praying does do good things for people and comfort them, it does not protect a person from being shot or physically harmed. A gunman who is enraged and probably not of sound mind is not going to care if you pray, if they want to shoot a person, they will, no amount of prayer can change that, so a person should not depend on prayer to protect them from bodily harm, there should be common sense and understanding of this.

That's a good solution for everything! Children aren't learning enough in schools? Why would we reform the educative system? Pray for God to turn them into Einstein overnight! People are being thrown out of their houses because of unpayable mortgages? Let's pray for their well-being once they are stranded on the street! Someone is dying? Let's take them to the Church so a priest can pray for their recovery, it will be better than taking them to a hospital, I'm sure, since God can heal everything.

If you think god works as a joker card to fix all off your problems, become a priest, not a politician. Politics should be about what you can do to solve problems, not about asking a higher being -who might as well just be a figment of makind's imagination, we'll never know- for help. That's what being a priest is all about.

__________________

He sleeps alone
He needs no army where he's headed
'Cause he knows
That they're just ghosts
And they can't hurt him
If he can't see them, oh

I recently watched a video showing that the murder rate in america through guns is incredibly low. Most of the deaths caused by gun violence is due to gang warfare and these "shootings" which people decide to go shoot up a school or a movie theater are very rare.
You're more likely to commit suicide than be murdered by someone else.
Gun control laws only need slight fixing and the government needs to look at challenging obesity, healthcare (mental and physical), education and other important factors in society.

In terms of faith, most of the US government are Christian, so it's only natural to have ones who beliefs "God will solve everything". In reality, if God put man on Earth, he left us to our own demons, which we must fight on our own.

It's not about guns killing people. Weapons are designed to hurt and kill. In England you're more likely to be stabbed instead of shot and our murder rate is usually through young gangs stabbing each other in London and other major cities.

It's not the guns that kill people, it's the person pulling the trigger. I believe that virtue is something that people are starting to lack and I do agree, that if people put more focus on their faith that these kind of violent acts wouldn't be happening as much. I'm not saying religion solves everything, but if more people had good moral values there wouldn't be much violence in the world. That's probably just wishful thinking though, but ehh that's just my opinion on this lol. Let's not take away guns, we just need to somehow get people to be more virtuous.

And how well did that work for the families of all the children abused by pedophile priests? (and the priests themselves)

If you want to curb acts of gun violence then the gun industry needs to be reigned in and taken back from the fringe of lunacy, as well as recognizing the need for a comphrehensive overhaul of mental health programs and diagnosing. Letting go of the paranoid, extremist, romanticized view of conservative, religeous white america will help too.

And how well did that work for the families of all the children abused by pedophile priests? (and the priests themselves)

If you want to curb acts of gun violence then the gun industry needs to be reigned in and taken back from the fringe of lunacy, as well as recognizing the need for a comphrehensive overhaul of mental health programs and diagnosing. Letting go of the paranoid, extremist, romanticized view of conservative, religeous white america will help too.

Well, that goes back to what I said about moral values and virtues. A person with good moral values wouldn't go around abusing children. Also it's not like every priest, nor the majority of them, are pedophiles.

I do agree with you on the mental health programs, in fact I think there should be psychological tests in place before being able to buy a gun. But I'm sure there'd be ways to get around that (black market)

Exactly. And Religion != Moral values. As in, I'm atheist and I'd never dream of ever owning a gun, much less shooting someone with it. I even feel bad when jump a line.

So we go back to point a: education, education, education. Teach every kid not to do to other people what they wouldn't want to receive back. The "fearing an almighty god that will allow you to live on in heaven once you die" part can be left for Church if they feel like going there. The morals need to be taught to everybody though.

__________________

He sleeps alone
He needs no army where he's headed
'Cause he knows
That they're just ghosts
And they can't hurt him
If he can't see them, oh

Well, that goes back to what I said about moral values and virtues. A person with good moral values wouldn't go around abusing children. Also it's not like every priest, nor the majority of them, are pedophiles.

I believe in God, but I don't believe in putting everything on Him. There has to be a point where someday, people realize maybe they're the problem and that not everything is God's will. God is looking down, raising a brow, and saying "Uh, no. Dude. You did this."

Are we that incapable? I do agree with Scarf in that schoolbooks instead of Bibles would be better. Knowledge of respect, the ability to love and feel, the means to tolerate.

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